laws of collaborative writing Articles

Today, I received a letter from a project leader in the mail. I chuckled and got a warm, fuzzy feeling. Here I was, thinking about the tenth and last law of collaborative writing—how important it is to recognize all collaborators and celebrate your collective achievement. Then a thank-you note arrives. (And I did not Photoshop that time stamp….

Writing teams need editors. Depending on the context, the project might need a translator and some graphic designers, too. In fact editors, translators, and designers are all key collaborators. They offer advice about how specific requirements are best incorporated into the final product. Depending on the kind of editing to be done, there are roles for editors…

We are all familiar with collaboration that fails because of insufficient effort in one direction or another. Here is a a proposal that takes into consideration all the factors at play when a group of people collaborate. The formula I propose shows how to create collaborative success. Yes, there is probably a more complex or correct equation for what it takes to make…

Why do we try to reinvent the wheel? The world is full of examples of how information can be organized. Pick a content model. Any model! Well, you’re right. Not just any model will do. You want the one that fits your content best and helps your team manage the work. That’s why knowing the requirements and…

Assumptions create obstacles to free-flowing collaboration. If a project is not advancing as expected, there are probably some hidden assumptions to bring to light. Assumptions can affect anything from the writing mandate to the final output, and all the activity and people in between. The root of assumptions is expectations—something every project and everyone involved comes ready charged…

You have already established your writing mandate with Law 3. So does the team start scribbling yet? Not quite. There’s an Arabic saying about good, expressive prose: (If it takes) No skill to understand it, (then it takes) mastery to write it.” — cited by Taleb in his book on anti fragility (I’ve added parenthetical notes) In writing,…

When there is writing to be done, most people expect some magic to happen. The mystique surrounding the creative process is powerful. There is no magic, though. Setting words on the page is a process and having a plan is key. Very early on in the development process, your team must capture the expectations for the project….

Collaboration is about working with other people. Many hands make write work! And cupcakes have been known to make projects hum along nicely. Collaborative writing involves many different kinds of expertise, since contributions are collected from various people and sources. Often that can be a lot of fun. When things don’t go well, though, nothing will smooth the…

It’s tempting to think of writing as a something one does alone. All writing is, to some extent, collaborative. Many book forewords tell the story of how people helped the author: editors, mentors, peers, wives or husbands, friends, kids—even the cat. The content still belongs to the author whose name appears on the cover. As Ray Bradbury…

How do you make sure you are collaborating effectively with your writing colleagues? Here are 10 laws to guide you: All writing in organizations is collaborative. Respect thy collaborators as thyself. Identify the writing mandate and agree on a process. Assess the requirements for the project (even when there’s no time). Agree on practices and tools, and…